Diamond abrasive particles in a metal matrix



United States Patent ()fiice 3,239,321 Patented Mar. 8, 1-966 This application is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 123,117, filed July 11, 1961, and now abandoned.

This invention relates to a method of forming abrasive bodies and bodies formed by the method.

Attempts have been made to form diamond dust and other fine diamond particles into compacts which would approach in quality naturally occurring polycrystalline diamond aggregates known as framesite.

One such approach has been along the lines of bonding the diamonds with glasses of various types, but this approach does not lead to anything approaching the desired result.

It has also been suggested that the techniques applicable to the making of diamond tools such as dressing tools, bits, drills, diamond wheels, saws, dies and the like would lead to good results. In all cases, conventional techniques have fallen short of the mark.

The present invention is concerned with another attempt towards attaining the ideal, which is something like or better than framesite. Although the attempts have not been successful to the extent that in all cases the qualities of framesite have been achieved, a valuable method of using diamond dust has nevertheless been provided. An object of the invention is firstly to achieve a compact in which the diamond particles are graphite free. Obviously graphite has not the same qualities as diamond. Graphite formation on diamond surfaces is almost inevitable when one heats a diamond at ambient pressures to above the graphitization temperature. It also appears that certain metals catalyze the formation of graphite.

Secondly, an object of the invention is to achieve a compact in which the surface of the diamond is free from oxygen which impairs both mechanical and chemical bonding between the diamond and the matrix.

Thirdly, it is necessary that the compact and hence the matrix has adequate mechanical strength.

Another object of the invention is to provide an abrasive body consisting in a shaped compact compounded of graphite free diamond particles embedded in a matrix material which forms a bond with diamond, is a good oxygen getter and has adequate mechanical strength.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method of making a compact of the above description.

The matrix materials that have been found to give the best results in practice are from the fourth, fifth and sixth groups of the periodic system. Metals which have the characteristics of forming a strong bond with carbon, and being good oxygen getters and having an adequate mechanical strength, while at the same time being reasonably freely available and not exhorbitantly expensive, are titanium, vanadium, zirconium, chromium and silicon, in this order of preference for pure metals, alloys of these principal metals with nickel, manganese, iron and other metals serving to lower their melting points, again in order of preference, and admixtures of the principal metals, of which mixtures of titanium and silicon give the most outstanding results.

The proportion of matrix metal in the compact is important. In general, there should be enough metal to fill the voids between the diamond particles in the finlshed compact. The amount by volume should be sufiicient to fill the voids in a compacted, but not unduly fragmented, mass of diamonds and not more than is necessary to fill the voids when the particles are loose. Of course, one may, if one so wishes, increase the amount of binder but then the advantages of the invention become diluted.

The method by which the compact is made consists in the following steps:

(a) Mixing the requisite amount of diamonds with the requisite amount of a suitable matrix metal;

(b) Subjecting the mixture to an elevated pressure at which graphitization of the diamond is inhibited;

(0) Heating the mixture while the pressure is on to cause the matrix to become molten;

(d) Allowing the mixture to cool while the pressure 1s on;

(e) Releasing the pressure only after a temperature below the graphitization temperature of diamond at ambient pressure has been reached.

A wide range of pressures may be used. The lower T limit of pressure has been found to be about 20 kilobars.

In practice an upper limit of 76 kilobars has been used. While higher pressures could be used, it would appear that no advantage would accrue from any increase of pressure above 76 kilobars.

As said above, the melting point of the matrix under the pressures used is the lower limit of the temperature to which the mixture maybe heated. The upper limit, although this is seldom attainable, is the graphitization temperature of diamond under the applied elevated pressure. In practice, a range of between 1400-2000 C. has given adequate results with all metals tested.

Since graphitization also appears to be a function of time, the shorter the time during which the mixture is at the maximum temperature, the better. With the equipment available to the applicants, a period of two minutes was the shortest time that could be used and all experiments were limited to this period.

It does not appear that the size of the metal particles that are used is critical, but it is preferred to use metal particles that are not coarser than the diamond particles that are being bonded.

Examples A series of tests were conducted to make compacts according to the invention. The salient features of the tests are set out in the annexed Tables I and II, in which Table I sets out examples containing pure metals; and

Table II sets out examples of various alloys.

In all cases, metal in powder form was added to the diamond particles and the whole thoroughly mixed until completely homogeneous. The mixture Was then tamped into a graphite heating tube of a high pressure assembly similar to that used in diamond synthesis. The graphite tube has end plugs of graphite backed by thermally insulating plugs of wonderstone. Plugs of graphite and wonderstone are placed at the bottom end, and the mixture is tamped into the tube to obtain maximum possible packing density, whilst avoiding fracture of graphite tubes. The top plugs of wonderstone and graphite are then inserted and the whole is assembled in any suitable high pressure high temperature equipment such as that described for diamond synthesis.

The procedure in using the equipment is as follows:

(a) The pressure is first raised to the value given for compacting pressure in the tables;

'3 a?) (b) Immediately thereafter, the temperature is raised to the value given under compacting temperature;

(c) The temperature is held for two minutes and heating then discontinued;

4 and is mixed with silicon powder of 0.1-5 micron particle size in the proportion of 73-86% (preferably 78%) by volume graded diamond powder and l427% (preferably 22%) by volume silicon.

(d) When the temperature of the formed mass has 5 The powders are thoroughly mixed until completely fallen to about 200 C., the pressure is released. homogeneous, and then tamped into a graphite heating The formed compact was now removed and evaluated. tube of a high pressure assembly similar to that used in The abrasion resistance was evaluated by holding formed diamond synthesis. The graphite tube has end plugs of compacts against identical rotating alundum grinding graphite backed by thermally insulating plugs of wonderwheels under identical conditions of peripheral speed and stone. Plugs of graphite and wonderstone are placed at feed. The amount of wear on the compacts was taken as the bottom end, and the powder is tamped into the tube a measure of abrasion resistance. to obtain maximum possible packing density, Whilst avo1d In most cases, the formed compact is extremely hard ing fracture of the graphite tube. The top plugs of wonand compares favourably with natural framesite. derstone and graphite are then inserted, and the whole 18 The compact may be suitably shaped and mounted for assembled in any suitable high pressure high temperature cutting and abrading hard materials. One advantage is equipment such as that recently described for diamond that the compact may be shaped by electro-erosion, since synthesis. it conducts electricity. The pressure is raised to about 45,000 atmospheres (300 In the above examples, i.e. examples Nos. 1 to 25 in tons/sq. in.) and the temperature of the powder mass the attached tables, the diamond particles used were syn- 20 raised to a value in the range 15001900 C., preferably thetic diamond particles as received from the manufac- 1750 1800 C., for 2-4 (preferably 3) minutes, by tufel and y were known to clean In cases Where means of a heavy electric current passed through the the dlamonds are not known 9 y first have gra hite heating tube. Heating is now discontinued and to be cleaned Processes Whlch are weu'knownthe temperature of the formed mass allowed to fall to ln the attached tables, th3elpse centage by volllumetof the about 0 before removing the pressure matnxtw g g zj. 1 5 635 3? 'In a number of experiments according to this example, 232 3 gf g i ilsle g g e the results remained inconsistent. Some were about a p P g y third as good as Example 1 and others much worse.

Example 26 30 In the compacts of the invention, the diamond is bonded In this example graded natural diamond powder is used to the matrix in the sense that fractures are not preferwith a view to avoiding large interstitial spaces not 00- entlally Propagated along the fllamolld-matrix Intel facescupjediby diamond materiaL The graded diamond powder It IS believed that the bOlld IS a chemical 0116, but the consists of 80.5% of 15-30 micron particles, 16.5% of p ssibility of a physical or physico-chemico bond cannot 4-8 micron particles and 3% of /z--1 /z micron particles, be excluded.

TABLE I Example Elements- Matrix, Diamond Compacting Compacting No. Pure Metals percent particle, pressure temperature Remarks on properties of compact by volume mesh size (Kb) 0.)

range Vanadium 31.5 100/200 76 1,500 Pure metal compact with greatest abrasion resistance. Chromium 31.5 100/200 66 1,430 Only one quarter as good as No. 1I

' but equal to Framesite. Titanium 31. 5 100/200 76 1, 570 Almost as good as N o. 2. Silicon- 22 -32; 42 1, 500 Only one-twelfth as good as No. 1. Zirconium 31. 5 100/200 76 1, 570 Ohly one tenth as good as No. 1. Titanium 31. 5 200/325 76 1, 500 About as good as No. 5, but utilises finer diamond powder. Vanad1u.m 31.5 200/325 76 1,500 Very abrasion resistant in parts, but

not uniform. Titanium 31. 5 -325 76 1, 500 Inferior to No. 7 in abrasion resistance,

but more uniform.

TABLE II Matrix, per- Diamond Compacting Compacting Example Elements-Alloys Alloy comcent by particle, pressure temperature Remarks on properties of compact N 0. position volume mesh size (Kb) 0.)

range Titanium/silicon 84.4/3. 2 31. 5 100/200 1, 500 50% better than No. 1, the most abrasion resistant of all. Z rconium/cobalt 41. 1/8. 3 31.5 100/200 76 1, 430 Only one third as good as No. 9. T tan um/zirconium. 50/50 31. 5 100/200 76 1, 500 One quarter as good as No. 9. Titanium/nickel 37. 5/2. 5 31. 5 100/200 76 1, 430 Similar to No. 10 on average, but some compacts better. do 34/0 31. 5 100/200 76 1, 430 Similar to No. 10. T tan um/iron" 28. 8/13. 6 31. 5 100/200 76 1, 430 Inferior to No. 10. T1tanium/chromium 23.3/20.7 31.5 100/200 76 1, 430 Interior to No. 14, but better than Z' 38 2/10 4 31 5 100/200 76 1 430 some Framesite' ll'OOl'llllm manganese. 1 Titaniu1n/cobalt 30. 5/11.9 31.5 100 200 76 1,430 Sum! Titanium/silicon 34. 4/3. 2 31. 5 200/325 50 1, 500 Abrasion resistance equivalent to over- T t l 23 3/20 7 31 5 200/325 76 1 360 age of several Framesite samples.

1 911111111 0 irorn1um I Titanium/nickel ans/2.5 31.5 200 325 1,430 only abwthalfasgwd 351N318- $itfianiuml/zifi'conium 34 2 200/332 i, Inferior to Nos. 19 and 20.

1 311111111 S 10011 Titanium/ohromium 233/207 31.5 -325 76 1,300 Thejiiinatemlsfinfenor t0 N 19 Titanium/nickel 37.5/2.5 31.5 -325 70 1, 360 d but the finest almond Titanium/zirconium" 50/50 31.5 -325 70 1, 500

We claim:

1. An abrasive body consisting in a shaped compact compounded of substantially graphite-free diamond particles uniformly distributed and embedded in a lesser volume of a matrix consisting essentially of vanadium, the matrix occupying at least substantially all of the interstitial space between the diamond particles.

2. An abrasive body consisting in a shaped compact compounded of substantially graphite-free diamond particles uniformly distributed and embedded in a lesser volume of a matrix consisting essentially of an alloy of titanium and silicon, the proportions of titanium to silicon being about 34.4:3.2, the matrix occupying at least substantially all of the interstitial space between the diamond particles.

References Cited by the Examiner ALEXANDER H. BRODMERKEL, Primary Examiner.

D. J. ARNOLD, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN ABRASIVE BODY CONSISTING IN A SHAPED COMPACT COMPOUNDED OF SUBSTANTIALLY GRAPHITE-FREE DIAMOND PARTICLES UNIFORMLY DISTRIBUTED AND EMBEDDED IN A LESSER VOLUME OF A MATRIX CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF VANADIUM, THE MATRIX OCCUPYING AT LEAST SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE INTERSTITIAL SPACE BETWEEN THE DIAMOND PARTICLES.
 2. AN ABRASIVE BODY CONSISTING IN A SHAPED COMPACT COMPOUNDED OF SUBSTANTIALLY GRAPHITE-FREE DIAMOND PARTICLES UNIFORMLY DISTRIBUTED AND EMBEDDED IN A LESSER VOLUME OF A MATRIX CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF AN ALLOY OF TITANIUM AND SILICON, THE PROPORTIONS OF TITANIUM TO SILICON BEING ABOUT 34,4:3.2, THE MATRIX OCCUPYING AT LEAST SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE INTERSTITIAL SPACE BETWEEN THE DIAMOND PARTICLES. 